9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Good morning! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Good morning, everyone! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Audience) Good morning! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Claudine and I are delighted [br]to be with you this morning 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to be the first one. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I left home when I was 13[br]to go to apprenticeship, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that was in 1949. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Actually, home was the restaurant[br]where my mother was the chef, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was already in that business. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, there was 12 restaurants[br]through the years in my family 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and 12 of them owned by women, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm the first male to enter [br]that business in my family. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I went into apprenticeship from Lyon,[br]where my mother had her little restaurant 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to Bourg-en-Bresse, where [br]I was born a few miles away. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Prior to that, when [br]we were about 8-9 years old, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my mother had that little restaurant 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, my brother and I,[br]before going to school, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 would walk with my mother to the market, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the St. Antoine market[br]along the Saône river, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and she would walk the market one way, [br]about 1/2 a mile, and buy on her way back. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Buying a case of mushrooms [br]which was getting dark, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 maybe for a third of the price or less. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We carried, of course, [br]we didn't have a car at the time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She'd get home and start doing [br]her vegetables, peeling for the day. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She did not have [br]a refrigerator at that time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 She had an ice box, that is[br]a block of ice into a little cabinet, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so she'd have chicken of the day, meat, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 fish, usually, whiting or mackerel [br]or skate -- inexpensive fish, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that she has to use it that day. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And the day after, [br]we start all over again. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Everything was organic, [br]everything was local. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The word organic did not really exist, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 chemical fertilizers [br]did not exist either, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or fungicides, insecticides, pesticides,[br]all that stuff did not exist, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so everything was, local and organic. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I went into apprenticeship, [br]I was 13 years old and, at that time, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it was very structured,[br]well, still is to certain extend, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you got to be there on time,[br]you got to be clean, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you have to be willing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's discipline, it's structure,[br]that's the way a kitchen can work. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We learn through a type of osmosis. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The chef never really explained anything, [br]he'd just say, "Do that". 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And if you say, "Why?", and [br]he'd say, "Because I just told you". 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That was about the end [br]of the apprenticeship. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Probably, just as good [br]for someone 13-14 years old. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we worked, repeating, and repeating,[br]and repeating those techniques ad nauseam, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we were not allowed[br]to go to the stove for a year. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, during that year,[br]I plucked a lot of chicken, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 eviscerated a lot of chicken, [br]scaled fish, chopped parsley, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all of that type of things,[br]and then the chef called me -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My name was "you" at the time, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then by the time I went to the stove[br]they called me Jacques, so I got the name. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 He said, "You start tomorrow". 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "I start tomorrow?"[br]I didn't know how to do it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but when I went to the stove,[br]I knew how to do it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It was through that type of osmosis,[br]things that you show, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I've got a book called, "La technique",[br]that I published in 1975 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, it's 40-year old, and I don't cook[br]the way I did 40 years ago. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But the way I did an egg white, [br]or sharpen a knife, or bone out a chicken, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to [inaudible]... it is that kind [br]of permanence, that kind of continuity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that you'll learn in the kitchen. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To be first a craftman. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And very often it's very difficult [br]to explain in words 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 something that you can show -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's easier to show -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 than to explain in words -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You can do that to chocolate as well -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You'd do that at exactly [br]the right temperature -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we used to -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 put the butter in[br]a little container and that on top, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now you can charge 20 bucks for it -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Put that in water that's cold -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you, Titine. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For me, first you have to be a craftsman. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You have to be a craftsman, and [br]it's that repeat, and repeat, and repeat, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is very important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just like -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you spend a 1-2 years[br]in a studio in art school 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and learn the law of perspective[br]-- it is perfectly fine, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you learn how to mix [br]yellow and blue to make green, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what to do with your sand, [br]with your spatula, with the brush -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you can come out and [br]do one painting after another. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So that makes you a chef? Not really. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But you're by then, a good craftsman,[br]and that's very important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You have to first know your trade, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 whether you are a shoemaker,[br]or a cabinet maker, like my father, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 first, you know your trade. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, those things that we boned out[br]I learned as a child -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Then, I learned this from...[br]I don't remember where I learn that but 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when you learn something [br]you learn it a certain way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and after a while, you don't remember [br]where it comes from, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you do it your way, eventually. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To do a type of lollipop like that [br]as we used to do that you -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, those techniques, as I said,[br]first make you a craftsman, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and if you are a good craftsman[br]then you can run a restaurant. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There are about [br]20,000 restaurants in New York 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and 100 are well known, maybe 200, [br]maybe 300, maybe 400 even, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but what happen to the 19,500[br]is that they are run by artisans, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 people who know how to work properly, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this is the only way if you become,[br]in my opinion, a good craftsman, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if you have that type of knowledge[br]then you can express yourself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is half of yourself, [br]the other half has to do with talent. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you happen to have talent like,[br]if you have taste, a bit of a vision, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if you have a little bit of creativity, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you can express yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you now have the means[br]to express yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if you've gone through those techniques. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You have to repeat those techniques,[br]as I said, long enough 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so you can afford to forget it after. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here we are, [br]half of this, now the filet -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) If you have any questions[br]you should shout them out, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's a good opportunity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's going to be a test. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) This way -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's my carcass. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, [inaudible] filet,[br]you remove it here -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This one here -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you free your hand[br]by learning those techniques 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and as I said, you can think in term [br]of texture and other things 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because, as I said, you free your hand[br]by repeating and repeating. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, this is one part of yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 half of yourself is there, [br]it's the craftsman, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the other part of yourself 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 will depend on whether [br]you have talent or not, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and even if you have [br]a little bit of talent, not too much, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you can still run a little restaurant[br]by being a good technician. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you have a lot of talent,[br]then you can take it further, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but not all the chefs are René Redzepi,[br]or David Chang, or José Andrés -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here we are -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) At that point [br]you really don't want to cut the bone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because the skin will shrink [br]all over the place so, we break it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And you know, the interesting part,[br]if you carve in the dining room, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or if you do a quail [br]or a pheasant or a goose, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the morphology is the same. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you cut a chicken [br]in pieces to do a skew, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you cut exactly in the sample place,[br]at the shoulder joint, at the hip joint. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Okay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, you have to be very proud [br]of what you're doing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but you also have to be humble[br]to a certain extend 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because there's always someone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who can think with [br]more creativity than you, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or who can think harder than you do. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're all limited [br]by the extent of our taste 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and they are different, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and sometimes you have a food critic[br]who really doesn't know how to cook 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but maybe can taste better than you do. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We follow on that [br]and sometimes it's difficult to take 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but that's the way it is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For me, a young chef should work[br]with a good chef, in a good place, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and at that point your [inaudible] is [br]to try to visualize what that chef does, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if he or she works with you[br]then you try to see -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yeah, where there's no bones -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a little bit here -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you try to see the food through[br]his or her sense of aesthetic, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 their sense of taste, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and even if it doesn't coincide with you, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 most of the time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it won't coincide with your sense of taste[br]or your sense of aesthetic, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but it doesn't really matter [br]at that point, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you have to look at it through that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you do it for a year or two, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you work with another chef[br]for a year or two, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and again looking at things[br]from a different point of view, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 different sense of aesthetic, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then maybe with a third one[br]a few more times, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then at some point [br]you're going to give it back. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're going to give it back, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now you're going to filter it[br]through your sense of taste, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 through your sense of aesthetic, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's how it works 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because ultimately, at some point,[br]you cannot escape yourself, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you are who you are, and that's the way[br]how you are going to do it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's always a bit of a paradox for me 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I work with young chefs[br]at Boston University 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and everyone wants to do [br]something special and different. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I do a class which I call a perfect meal, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is a roast chicken,[br]a bol of potatoes and a salad. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It used to be this way -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they all go to the stove[br]to do the same type of things 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I say, "Don't try to blew my mind[br]because I know that I have 12 people here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I'm going to have [br]12 different chicken." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's the way it is so -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you don't really have to [br]torture yourself to be different, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you are different, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there's no way that you can do 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 exactly the same thing[br]than the person next to you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is a good beef stuffing but -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just to give you an idea. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Okay, Titine -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have our galantine,[br]that is if we poach it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and our ballotine if we roast it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, we put it this way -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) No questions? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Okay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - (Jacques) Very quiet here --[br]- (Claudine) I know -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Do you want some wine? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Ah, my daughter knows me --[br](Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Our galantine, so -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause and cheering) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Up to that point --[br](Claudine) You have five minutes -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Oh yeah... okay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the technique to do something[br]remain fairly constant -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but at that point[br]this is what it'll change, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when you're happy with the way [br]how you cook it, what you do with it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the seasoning and all of that [br]become your own. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Okay --[br](Eggs cracking) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - (Jacques) Pepper, Titine?[br]- (Claudine) Yep -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - (Jacques) That's your salt --[br]- (Pepper mill grinding) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Everyone needs one of me [br]in the kitchen, you all need me -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Now I cook with[br]my granddaughter as well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) She's twelve. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Yes, when I did a TV show [br]with Claudine many years ago -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Why did you [br]give me two of those? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) I get... I offer[br]whatever you want it -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Okay, good. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) I learned to make [br]three different types of omelettes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A flat omelette, à la piperade[br]or omelette basquaise and so forth -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Western omelette or in the US, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then we did an omelette[br]that my mother would do 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with very large curd, brown, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then we did a more [br]classic omelette - like this one - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and loose, we want to make [br]very small curds like scramble egg -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now there are three different [br]types of omelettes that I would do, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 one is not better than the other,[br]it's just different 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A few weeks ago I did that for television, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they came to my house and wanted me[br]to do the three types of omelettes, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which I did -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then they realized they only have [br]a minute and a half when they edited, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so they just took some stuff [br]from one omelette to the other, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the other, and mix [br]the whole thing together -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) What a waste! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here you bring it back here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which you're rolling[br]really like a carpet -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so you're just bringing one lid -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 one lid here and a half moon -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 nice half moon... [br]bring that here -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 bring the other lid on top -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this is the time [br]when you want to stuff it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 change hands, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that omelette should be -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the edge -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Ooooh! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - The chefs in my kitchen --[br]- (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The chef in my kitchen [br]would have seen the pleads on top 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and he would have done some reference[br]to the behind of his grandmother -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As you can see it should be pale [br]right on top, very creamy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 very soft inside, like scramble eggs, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that's what a classic omelette is. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Yes, Claudine?[br](Claudine) Yes, papa! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Ok, will you drink to that?[br](Claudine) I will! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Applause) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Whatever [br]you take away from here, I hope -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and it's so wonderful that [br]you're taking the time to be here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I hope you share [br]your knowledge with everyone 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because that's how the craft continues, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's how our trade continues,[br]that's how it gets better. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Yeah, I realized quite well,[br]all of you know those techniques, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 some better than me, [br]yet I thank you for coming 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and listening to me, but for me[br]the permanence is there, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to teach, to explain and to show[br]at least the basic structure, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and at that point, when you have[br]that type of manual dexterity 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or technical knowledge, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you can run a kitchen quite well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As I said, if you happen to have talent, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you bring it to a another level 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and, like the person who works [br]in a studio for a couple of years, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as I said, after that, you know [br]how to mix all your paintings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and know what you can do with a brush, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 then you step outside you do[br]one painting after another -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Does that make you an artist? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not really, at that point [br]you're a good craftsman. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If, however, you have talent, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 now you have the means [br]to express that talent 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and take it somewhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As I said, you do [br]have to transcend that level 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in which you have to concentrate[br]on the manual task that you're at. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You see a beginner coming around[br]and you said: "Do you have any parsley?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and he sayd: "Don't disturb me"[br]- someone is slicing something - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So you have to transcend that level[br]you don't have to think about it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 things are there so you can think[br]in terms of texture, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 combination of ingredients,[br]or things like that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Right, Titine? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Right. [br]Do you have any questions? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) I think I was there at [br]one and a half minute, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 now I'm back to seven minutes? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Oh, okay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Yes, any questions?[br]No questions... Yes, sir? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (inaudible speaking from the audience) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Oh, yeah --[br](Jacques) Do I know that man here? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) I gave him 20 bucks before [br]to say that. Thank you, Michelle! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine blowing a kiss) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Thank you, Michelle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yes, I know that there are [br]great, fantastic chefs here -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we had an extraordinary, [br]extraordinary meal at Noma, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm gratified to be here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I know I'm the oldest of the group 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and now that I'm passed 80 years old[br]I'm supposed to be wise -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't think that I'm wiser[br]than when I was 30 years old 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but this is what happens when you get old. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You think I'm wise, Claudine? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Yes, yes, yes... [br]of course, you are! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Ok, that's a good daughter. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Now I'm doing a show[br]with my granddaughter, Shorey, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which we called "Lesson of a grandfather". 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, little things, [br]even how to set up a table, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 eat properly at the table or -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but no, not enjoying wine yet -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) No, no, no wine yet,[br]it's just to give us show, so -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Yes, sir? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (inaudible speaking from the audience) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's a very interesting question...[br]Do you want to repeat the question? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) The question is how [br]are the kitchens today different than 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the kitchens my father[br]was an apprentice in. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Pretty dramatic? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Yes, well, no... but, yes![br]- (Laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There is a permanence there,[br]the point is that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you still have to come on time, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you still have to be ready to work, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you still work in a place which is [br]very structured, very disciplined, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like in the army, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you don't say, "Yes, captain!",[br]but you say, "Yes, chef!", 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's about the same thing[br]and you have to -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you have to so that [br]the kitchen works properly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're a member of a team, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and if you're late or you don't show up[br]to be part of that team, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you're going to destroy the structure, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so that remains the same. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That being said, when I was a kid, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when we cut a tomato[br]we only cut it in one direction, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we never alternate to the other side[br]when I worked at the Plaza and in Paris, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or whatever in the fifties. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, there's a much greater deal 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and innovation is part of yourself too. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, of course, [br]we, up to 20-30 years ago -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I've been in the kitchen 65-67 years -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the cook were at the bottom[br]of the social scale. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Any good mother would have wanted[br]her child to marry a doctor, an architect, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 certainly not a cook. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now we are genius! I don't know [br]exactly what happened but -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Laughter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this is great, this is terrific, so -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Claudine) Papa, he has a question. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (René) I have a question for you.[br](Jacques) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (René) You said [br]you're more than 80, right? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) Yes.[br](René) Yes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (René) So, I'm 39 [br]and I think a lot of cooks 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that deal with this... [br]what can I say, like, guilt, sometimes -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they feel like they should be yearning[br]for something in the past, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that in the past [br]things were better, kind of -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Can you please tell us[br]how it used to be in the kitchen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in whether you think [br]the life in the kitchen is better today, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and actually, do you think [br]that food has become better 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and is becoming better? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or, is it better back in the old days? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Jacques) No, it is better (but)[br]there's a cycle also; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 certainly as I said, my mother used [br]only organic products too 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but that's what we have,[br]we didn't have anything else, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we're going back to that,[br]which is a great thing, of course, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to be in communion with the Earth, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to be in communion with where you work 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and be local, and so forth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yes, absolutely. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The cooks now that the same structure[br]that we used to have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but you have much more freedom[br]than we ever had before. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Certainly, I got kicked in the rear end[br]a few times by my chefs, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I mean it was the type of things[br]that it was supposed at that time -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it was supposed to be difficult, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you were supposed to go [br]to a rite of passage and all of that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is not really necessary, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you don't need to be yelled at -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I've seen a lot of show on television,[br]certainly, reality show, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the kitchen is like mayhem and [br]the chef is yelling all over the place. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is not conducive [br]to good work, certainly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's a great deal of love, a great deal[br]of yourself that you put in that food, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the yelling [br]and other people's lack of respect, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 those things are not conducive,[br]in my opinion, to learning well 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and teaching people how to cook. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At a certain age, when I was 12-13,[br]the best way of learning 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was probably through [br]that kind of osmotic way: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you look, you repeat, [br]you look, you repeat, and so forth. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We passed that level now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Chefs come from cooking schools, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they come out from college[br]to their older time, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they want to know how to do it,[br]they want us to explain, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so it's a different way of teaching[br]than what we're used to; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and people are much more in a hurry[br]than how we were too; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we had at least three other apprenticeship[br]without paid or anything, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, you know, there are six other[br]apprentices in front of you -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so, this is much better now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A much greater respect for the chef,[br]for what we do for our tradition, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this is why, I mean, [br]we're here today -- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Yes?[br]- (Claudine) Wrap it up.